All 4 major sessions · GMT, EST, UTC · Best pairs · Overlap windows · DST adjustments
Practice By Session Free →Do the DST conversion once
DESK 21London and New York change clocks on different dates, so their overlap is not fixed in UTC all year. Create a small date-range table for the sample and store the exact window used with each observation.
A session name without a date and timezone is ambiguous.
The most liquid 4-hour window in forex. Both the world's two largest financial centers are simultaneously active. EURUSD, GBPUSD, and XAUUSD see their highest daily volume and largest pip moves during this window. Most major economic releases (NFP, CPI, FOMC) fall within or just before this overlap. If you only trade one window, this is the one.
Only 1 hour — but often produces sharp moves as London opens against accumulated Asian positions. GBPJPY and EURJPY particularly active. This is when London "takes out" Asian session liquidity. ICT practitioners call this the London Kill Zone.
| Pair | Sydney | Tokyo | London | New York | Overlap | Typical Spread |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| EURUSD | Poor | Low | Excellent | Excellent | Best | 0.5–1 pip |
| GBPUSD | Poor | Low | Excellent | Very good | Best | 0.8–1.5 pip |
| USDJPY | Low | Excellent | Good | Very good | Good | 0.5–1 pip |
| GBPJPY | Avoid | Medium | Very good | Good | Very good | 2–4 pips |
| AUDUSD | Good | Good | Medium | Low | Low | 0.8–1.5 pip |
| USDCAD | Poor | Poor | Medium | Excellent | Very good | 1–2 pips |
| USDCHF | Poor | Low | Very good | Good | Good | 1–2 pips |
| NZDUSD | Good | Medium | Low | Low | Low | 1.5–3 pips |
| XAUUSD | Poor | Medium | Very good | Excellent | Best | 20–40 pips |
| EURJPY | Poor | Very good | Good | Medium | Good | 1.5–2.5 pips |
| Release | Typical Time (GMT) | Session | Pairs Most Affected | Impact |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NFP (US Non-Farm Payrolls) | 13:30 GMT (1st Fri of month) | NY open | EURUSD, GBPUSD, USDJPY, XAUUSD | ★★★★★ |
| US CPI | 13:30 GMT (monthly) | NY open | EURUSD, GBPUSD, XAUUSD | ★★★★★ |
| FOMC Rate Decision | 19:00 GMT (8x/year) | NY mid | All USD pairs, XAUUSD | ★★★★★ |
| BoE Rate Decision | 12:00 GMT | London | GBPUSD, GBPJPY, EURGBP | ★★★★ |
| ECB Rate Decision | 13:15 GMT | London/NY | EURUSD, EURGBP, EURJPY | ★★★★ |
| US GDP | 13:30 GMT (quarterly) | NY open | EURUSD, GBPUSD, XAUUSD | ★★★★ |
| UK CPI | 07:00 GMT | London open | GBPUSD, EURGBP, GBPJPY | ★★★ |
| BoJ Policy Decision | Varies (early Asian) | Tokyo | USDJPY, GBPJPY, EURJPY | ★★★ |
| AU Employment | 01:30 GMT (monthly) | Sydney/Tokyo | AUDUSD, AUDJPY | ★★★ |
Beginner exploration
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This page focuses on “Forex Session Times Reference 2026”.Keep London, New York, Tokyo, Sydney, and overlap windows in one printable forex session reference, with timezone and daylight-saving checks.For “Forex Session Times Reference 2026”, a beginner should identify what the worksheet measures, assumes or teaches before acting on its conclusion.Treat this page's account of “Forex Session Times Reference 2026” as a learning reference rather than a prediction, signal or promise of future performance.
For “Forex Session Times Reference 2026”, read the instructions once before filling any field, then use one consistent definition throughout the sheet.While exploring “Forex Session Times Reference 2026”, complete a single real example before copying the template across a larger sample.Keep your “Forex Session Times Reference 2026” record honest: write unknown inputs as unknown instead of filling them with a convenient estimate.Before leaving “Forex Session Times Reference 2026”, review the completed record for missing context before using it to change a trading rule.
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